Harper
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Harper is in her 20s and lives with depression and anxiety. She was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child, ‘but it wasn’t really followed up’.
Her psychiatrist diagnosed her with adult ADHD, but told her he’d stop her medication if she didn’t get a second opinion.
‘I was deeply upset over this and freaked out as I feel like it’s the only thing that has helped me in years.’
Harper lives in a small town and told the Royal Commission how difficult it is to find a second psychiatrist, especially one who bulk-bills.
‘This psychiatrist referred me to another psychiatrist that was $450, and the one after that was $400, and then I found someone closer to home who still was $400, and they rejected me and said they weren’t taking on any more clients.’
Harper said that she eventually found a psychiatrist she could afford, who did bulk-bill, but it took two months to get the second opinion.
‘I know it could be worse, but it’s an extremely long wait time to see anyone, and people need more immediate help.’
She said her psychiatrist never explained what an ADHD diagnosis meant for an adult, and she had to do her own research online.
‘I’ve had my psychiatrist sit there in front of me and read the wrong case file, and have no idea who he is talking to. Asking me questions that didn’t apply to me or medication I was taking.’
Her experience made her concerned about the quality of mental health services in regional Australia.
‘I live in a small town so there isn’t a whole lot of services, but it makes you think; are they just swiping Medicare cards or do they actually care about my well‐being?’
Harper feels the public health system isn’t as helpful as it should be.
‘There’s not a lot of help you can get on Medicare, there’s not a lot of good psychiatrists that bulk-bill, so I have to work with what I have and advocate for myself where I can.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.